Control



March 13, 1945. F. s. CLARK 2,371,378

CONTROL Filed Aug. 3, 1942 Patented Mar. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CONTROL Francis s. Clark, scram, Minn. Application August 3,1942, Serial No. 453,369

(01. zoo-s8) 3 Claims.

My invention relates to an automatic control, and more particularly toan improved control device for a furnace stoker to efiect its heatingdependently of thermostatic furnace temperature controls.

A further object of my invention is to provide a time control switch foractuating an automatic circuit in accordance with a variable selectiveadjustment; made with respect to time and/or temperature conditions.

Other objects of my improved control will be disclosed and apparent inthe following description of the attached drawing wherein: V

Figure l is a front plan view of my improved control.

Figure 2 is a side plan view of the control shown in Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4, and 6 are front plan views of my control discs for thevariable switch of Figure l and Figure 2".

Figure '7 is a modified adjustable variable switch showing the use ofmodified control discs.

In the drawing there is shown in Figure 1, base supports l0 upon whichright angle legs I I secure standard l2 in an upright or verticalposition by bolt means 13. The standard l2 supports on its front face,by bolt means M, a plate Ma from which carrier arms 15 perpendicularlyproject. Encircling the carrier arms l5 are sliding bands l6 supportingbetween them a carrying plate lGa upon which is mounted a support I! forswitch carrying arms l8. The base end of arms 18 is attached to thesupport 11 at pivot point'l9 and these arms I8 are comprised of springsteel, or

the like, with loops 2%) for clamping a mercury switch 2!, or the like,therebetween. The mercury switch 2| is of standard manufacture andoperates in an electric circuit with an automatic Stoker or othermechanism when actuated in accordance with my disclosure to complete ordisconnect a circuit as provided by the timed relation hereinafterdescribed.

At the base of arms 18 there is provided a pivotecl elongated rider 22which slideably extends through carrying plate IS. The arms beingpivoted at their base at point l9 tend to tip forward by reason oftension spring 23 fastened at one end to arms l8 and at its opposite endto carrying plate 16 constantly exerting a forward pulling pressure,thereby causingthe rider 22 to bear against the outer peripher of theratchet disc 24 which is one of a plurality or series as hereinafterdescribed. The rider 22 is adjusted thereon by tipping the arms andmercury switch 2| backward (as shown by dotted lines 20a and 2la),against the tension of spring 23 and sliding the plate IS with itsrelated parts (shown by'dotted lines 16a in Figure 2) to one or theother of a plurality of ratchet discs as may be desired by the operator.

In Figure 2 the ratchet discs 24, 25, 26, 21 and 28 are shown mounted onspindle 29 and rein forced by spacers 29a and adapted to be rotated byshaft 36 which is turned by any suitable and conventional synchronousclock mechanism. The synchronous clock mechanism, preferably shown, isattached to the backside of standard l2 by suitable conventional meansand comprises generally a standard gear housing 3| and standard electricclock 32.

The discs mounted on spindle 29 of Figure 2 illustratively shown inFigures 3, 4, 5 and 6 and indicated as 24, 25, 26 and 21 areprovidedwith outer peripheries against which the rider 22 of Figure l or riderand spacer 31 shown in Figure 7, hereinafter described, is adapted toride and maintain the switch control in operative or inoperativeposition when aligned thereon according to selective adjustment orpositioning of the switch carrying plate l6. These discs are providedwith timed actuating means, as, for example, ratchets or indentations24a, 25a, 26a and 21a respectively which cause the rider 22, as shown inFigure 1, to move thereinto and cause the mercury switch 2|, supportedby carrying under varied heating requirements. For example, in Figure 3there is shown a disc 24 suitable for use in cool fall or spring weatherwhere there is need for pressure in a steam boiler system onlyoccasionally throughout the day after the first or early morning heatingwhich takes place without the attendance of an operator and irrespectiveof thermostatic control from external or internal temperatureconditions. The disc, as shown and for purposes of illustration, isadapted to revolve only once in every 24 hours with an on periodoccuring at :00 a. m., for example, and lasting for one-half hour.Thereafter other one-half hour periods will occur, at 7:00 a. m., :00 a.m., 1:00 p, m., 4:00 p. m., 6:00 p. m. and the last at 8:00 p. m. whichperiods of heating appear suflicient for conditions as indicated.However, when more extreme or colder weather, for example to below zerooccurs the above heating periods will be inadequate whereupon theoperator adjusts the variable control by lifting the rider, as aboveindicated, and slides the switch mechanism to a disc which operates thestoker at an earlier hour in the morning and many more times throughoutthe day. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the starting one-half hourheating period may be at 4:00 a. m. with other heating periods at 5:00a. m., 6:00 a. m., 7:00 a. m., 8:00 a, m., 9:30 a. m., 11:00 a. In.etc., and continues at regulated periods throughout the day until thefinal heating period at night at which time the disc keeps the switch inan off position until the disc completes its circuit to start again atthe desired time in the early morning hours.

The disc in Figure 4 and Figure 5 are similar in character to the discsin Figure 3 and Figure 6 except the ratchets or indentations arepositioned for conditions intermediate of the two extremes used forillustration and represent winter conditions which require more heatthan cool fall Weather or less heat than extreme low temperatures. Thedisc 28 not illustrated, is similar to the disc 27 in that it ispreferably prepared for even colder Weather, for example, temperaturesas low as 30 and 40below zero and the timing intervals are spaced toprovide more heatin intervals throughout the day.

The modified control and disc means shown in Figure 7 discloses a metalplate 33 with its sides 34 bent at right angles to the top and holes 35drilled in the ends for lidably mounting the plate on carrier arms I5(shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2). Projecting through one end of theplate 33 are mercury switch carrying arms 36 separated by a spacer andrider means 3'! and adapted to be pivotably secured and retained on oneof the carrier arms ['5 (shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2) at pivot point38. u

The tension spring 39 is provided to exert constant pressure on mercuryswitch carrying arms 36 by attachment at one end to plate 33 and at itsopposite end to the arms 35 in order to maintain the switch in constantoperative position against the abutment 40 except when forced to an on?or inoperative position as hereinafter described.

The switch carrying arms 36 and rider 31 of Figure 7 are shown alignedon the outer periphery of the first of a series of six discs arranged insubstantially the same manner as disclosed in Figure 2. The outer disc4| is provided with notches 42 which actuate the switch means to affordan on position for substantially one-half hour periods at 5:00 and 7:00a. m. and 5:00 and 7:00 p. in. for brief morning and evening heatingtil) periods. The disc immediately back of disc 4! has notches in itsouter periphery to afford an on position for substantially one-half hourperiods at 5:00, 7:00 and 10:00 a. m. and 1:00, 4:00, 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. for a greater number of heating periods throughout the day inmoderately cold weather. The next disc or No. 3 in the series affords anon heating period at 5:00, 7:00, 9:30 and 12:00 a. m. and 2:30, 4:30,6:30 and 8:30 p. m. The next disc or No. 4 in series provides an onperiod every two hours from 5:00 a. m. until 10:00 p. m. The next discor No. 5 in series provides an on period every one and one-half hoursstarting at 4:45 a. in. until 10:00 p. m. The last disc or No. 6 isprovided for extremely cold weather and alfords an on periodapproximately every one-half hour between 4:15 a. m. until 11:00 p. m.In general it has been found that half-hour heatin periods will takecare of all normal weather changes although further changes may be madein the heating periods or timing relation as are necessary to vary theon and off periods as de sired.

While I have shown in the discs heretofore illustrated a ratchet orindentation 24a, 25a, 26a and 21a with its one edge cut perpendicular tothe outer periphery and its other edge out at a tangent thereto, I may,as provided in the outer disc 4! shown in Figure 7, use a series ofdiscs with both sides of the ratchets or indentations 42 cutsubstantially at right angles to the periphery to obtain a shap break ata desired on and off period. In this illustration it is to be understoodthat a series of discs similar to those illustrated may be used and eachdisc provided with a timed on and off period substantially as hereinindicated.

In operation, this adjustable switch mechanism is made to functionindependently of any thermostatic or temperature control normally usedto safeguard the system and in normal operation is used to produce thatamount of heat in a heating system over and above the normal temperatureat which the boiler is kept for the Water supply and not the heatingsystem by the usual thermostatic controls, although in application itmay be used in conjunction with a master control by providing suitableattachment therewith.

For example, an aquestat control will maintain the normal hot watersupply for household purposes and keep the boiler, for example, in asteam heating system, from F. to F. while the control herein disclosedoperates to raise the temperature of the boiler at regular predeterminedintervals throughout the day and/or night to supply additional heat tothe heating system in accordance with required conditions.

While I prefer my improvement to be used in conjunction with a heatingsystem, my switch mechanism has been found useful for other purposeswhere there is need for control under variable conditions, other thantemperature as, for example, where an on or oiT circuit control can bevaried and adjusted with respect to time for lighting effects byproviding a series of discs with ratches or notches to operates theswitch in accordance with variations as to periods of darkness ordaylight, or control of mechanical and electrical mechanism and thelike, and it will be understood that such uses and modificationsincidental thereto may be mad without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic switch control comprising a timing means including arotatable shaft, 9. plurality of individual adjustable disks on saidshaft, a pair of spaced carrier arms mounted in parallel relation tosaid shaft and spaced radially therefrom a distance greater than theradius of the disks, a carrier plate longitudinally slidable on saidarms, a switch assembly mounted on said plate and including a switchactuating arm selectively engageable by movement of the carrier platewith the periphery of any one of said discs.

2. An automatic switch assembly including a horizontal base, a verticalstandard supported from said base, a timing means mounted on one face ofsaid standard and including ,a horizontal rotatable shaft extendingthrough said standard, a plurality of individual adjustable disks onsaid shaft, a pair of spaced carrier arms mounted in parallel relationto said shaft and spaced radially therefrom a distance greater than theradius of the disks, a carrier plate longitudinally slidable on saidarms, a switch assembly mounted on said plate and including a switchactuating arm selectively engageable by movement of the carrier platewith the periphery of any one of said discs.

3. An automatic switch assembly including a horizontal base, a verticalstandard supported from said base; a timing means mounted on one face ofsaid standard and including a horizontal rotatable shaft extendingthrough said standard, a pluralit of spaced individually notchedadjustable actuating disks on said shaft on the opposite side of thestandard from said timing means, 'a pair of spaced carrier armssupported from said standard in parallelism with said shaft andextending over said disks, a carrier plate longitudinally slidable' onsaid arms, a switch assembly mounted on said plate and including aswitch actuating arm selectively engageable by movement of thecarrier'plate with the periphery of any one of said discs.

' FRANCIS S. CLARK.

